“You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy.” —Eric Hoffer
We live in a complicated world—one that has too often confused and misunderstood the entire notion of success. Along the way, we have championed, promoted, and dedicated ourselves to some unhealthy pursuits.
We have measured success in terms of financial gain. Money is a powerful motivator that controls the lives of many. It chooses occupations. It dictates how time, energy, and resources are spent. It influences relationships, schedules, and families. To some, it even becomes an all-consuming passion that leaves broken people and morality in its wake.
But financial gain is actually a poor measurement of success. Some are born into it with little personal involvement, while others are born into environments that provide little opportunity to ever achieve it. Financial gain ebbs and flows at the mercy of a global economy. And the payback from financial gain is relatively short-lived—it never satisfies our greatest desires. No matter the amount of financial success earned, it always leaves us wanting more.
Others measure and pursue success in the form of accolades or praise from others. They desire to be known, recognized, and respected. The glory of their name and how many people remember it become their greatest desire.
But the praise of men is a shockingly fickle thing upon which to measure our success. It is a foolish, ever-changing target. It often negatively impacts the decisions we make and the life we choose to live. But it never fully satisfies our hearts or our souls. Even those who have reached the pinnacle of fame and prestige in our society long for more.
One growing trend in our culture is to measure success on the basis of removing ourselves from work altogether. The 4-Hour Workweek remains one of the most successful business books of our decade. And CNN recently defined retiring before 65 as the “ultimate dream.” It seems the goal of work has become to simply earn enough reserve or residual income to remove ourselves from it entirely.
But this measure of success results in an unhealthy view of work altogether. Somewhere along the way, we lost our focus. We no longer work to benefit others, but ourselves. Work becomes selfish. Work becomes that thing through which we make enough money so that we can do the other things we really want to do instead. Work has become a four-letter word to be avoided. No wonder 70% of Americans either hate their jobs or are completely disengaged from them.
Is there a better way to measure success in our lives? I think so.
Possessing wealth does not lead to happiness, but giving it away does.
Study after study confirms this. Generous people consistently rank as happier, healthier, with higher levels of life satisfaction. When people are given a sum of money, they immediately gain more well-being if they spend it on others, rather than themselves. Generosity promotes social connection and improved relationships. When we give, we make others feel closer to us, but even more, we feel closer to them. We begin to discover significance, fulfillment, and increased passion for life.
Science and experience remind us over and over again: Success is not found in material accumulation, personal accolades, or removal from work altogether. (tweet that)
Happiness, fulfillment, and lasting success is found in our commitment to generosity—in viewing that our role in the world is to make it better for someone else.
There is no shortage of people in this world who need our help. The problem is we are often too busy to notice because we have defined success in all the wrong places.
But once we stop chasing bigger houses, faster cars, and cooler toys, we begin to notice again the needs around us.
Generous people dream big dreams for their money, time, talents, and experience. They realize that once our most basic needs are met, increased accumulation offers very little happiness. Instead, our resources can be used to make our communities safer, smarter, and more responsible. They can be used to make this world a little more pleasant for everyone.
And in this pursuit, they find true, lasting, immeasurable success.
Chris says
Money isn’t a metric for success. But it is a tool, and we can choose how we use that tool. It took me a long time to realize that. Great insight Joshua.
Marya says
Interesting! You mentioned that possessing wealth does not lead to happiness, but giving it away does. So it means that we should have the money in the first place and then give it away to be happy! In our society we cannot be happy without the money no matter how lofty ideas we have. That is the fact!
joshua becker says
Thanks for the comment Marya. I am not arguing against providing for our and our family needs. I am arguing against the accumulation of wealth as a means to measure success. I would also add that I am arguing against the assumption that keeping more money will lead to greater happiness. When in fact, the opposite is true (giving money leads to greater happiness).
Thalia says
Wealth, to the point of comfort, brings happiness. The way I understand it, minimalism addresses the way we use, seek out, and assign value to money that is acquired beyond that point (i.e. once our needs are met). The excess does not improve long-term happiness.
Joshua suggests that we consider directing at least a portion of this excess cash flow into those areas of society that could actually benefit from it. And, as it turns out, dozens of scientific studies have proven that giving really does make us happy. That’s proof enough for me! :)
http://www.lifeinthesunlight.com
Yuvrajsinh says
Im partially agree with Marya,
Money is important for happiness, at the same time, I’ve also observed money is also the source of sadness.
So, that is up to us, to draw a line between necessity and desire for money !
Bonnie says
Helping other and giving away money has its own complications I’ve found. Money doesn’t solve the problem of the receiver for very long. Helping others is a fine line between doing what they want and what you think they need. Some situations will never be fixed and the need will never vanish. Accepting the situation and still providing support is a challenge.
Ralf says
Let’s make other people happy by not giving them this evil money in the first place.
If they pray to god this shall be fulfilling enough.
Rox says
Love this post – so much truth in the lasting legacy of giving. Changing our mindsets and being able to focus on the world around us rather than ourselves is something we forget so easily… isn’t it sad that we need to be reminded of something that should be so obvious? Definitely a measure of success that I would value more than money, accolades and empty goals that have little impact on the ‘real’ world!
Andrew says
This post reminds me of a famous quote by Zig Ziglar – “Money won’t make you happy… but everybody wants to find out for themselves.”
BrownVagabonder says
Giving away money as a measure of success is absolutely brilliant. I can’t imagine how much better the world would be if that was the bar that everyone used to measure their success. I have always had a goal to give away 10% of my income to charity, or give time to volunteer at charities I like, but it has always fallen by the wayside in the hum of life. I am going to use this post to remotivate myself on these goals. Thanks for the post!
Judy says
Money doesn’t buy happiness—as I know very wealthy people and they are miserable. The glass is always half empty for them and they have no connection with God. It’s tough to hear them complain over something insignificant…without ever giving thought to others who are truly suffering. Not to say that you can’t have tons of money and “get it”…but if money in-itself was the answer, these wealthy ones would be happy. These particular people were born into it and never had to earn it. Perhaps that’s part of it. But at the end of the day, to have no connection to Christ or the pain of others, I consider that very sad. —So I said my peace! :) Joshua, it’s always nice to see your posts. Thank you for being here. P.S. Hope I don’t sound too harsh…but this is a forum where I can post MY honest opinion. I know others may have a different perspective. :)
Janna says
I’m an atheist minimalist, and I’m very fulfilled without your particular god :) I think it’s rather self-focused to assume no one can be happy if they don’t believe the same religious ideas as you.
Judy says
No—as a Christian, I know true happiness is acquired in Christ. I don’t apologize for that. :)
Carol says
Judy, do not EVER apologize for that! Forget the politically correct nonsense. Truth is and always will be difficult for some.
Janna says
Rest assured, I could say the same as you, though taking it from a completely different perspective. “Truth is and always will be difficult for some”. :)
Carol says
” Truth is and always will be difficult for some.” We do approach this from very different perspectives. One of us is right. IF you are right, I will have lost nothing. If however, I am right, you will have lost everything. I am sincerely praying for you Janna. Be well.
SB says
So Judy, the only reason you believe in God is to gain something in the afterlife you believe in?
What do all of the human beings who were on the earth before Jesus was even born “get?”
Jazzy says
why can’t both of you be right? The world is big enough for more than one belief system…surely to goodness!
SDB says
Amen to that :)
Rose says
Tithing, donating, buying less, and using fewer resources are great ways to connect with others in a meaningful way.
Mrs. Frugalwoods says
Now I want to read the entire book–you’ve definitely got me hooked! For me, once I stepped off the carousel of consumerism, I realized just how much time and money I’d devoted to conforming to society’s ideals.
I was living for other people–doing what I thought I should do, not at all what I truly hoped to pursue. Now that I’m on the path to my actual dreams, everything is so much less stressful (and less expensive!).
It often seems like we only spend money to impress others, which is such a wasted endeavor. I agree with you–far better to spend that money actually helping other people.